Charlotte
Boris Diaw’s expiring deal and candy. They have a lot of young players that can fit in the Hornets plans. Plus the Cats have trade exceptions.
Unfortunately this makes no sense unless the Cats want to have edge in re-signing Kaman.

Chicago
Not unless Chicago will use Boozer or Deng as currency, or the Hornets want a combination of Brewer and Watson. The Bulls are fine where they are and would be stupid to break the team up

Cleveland
Has some cap room, is suprisingly in the playoff chase and just might work. Multiple scenarios are in play here:
Varejao for Kaman if Cleveland thinks that is an upgrade and or wants to get out of his contract would work straight up, otherwise they would have to get creative. Cleveland may have the cap room but still needs to add 8 million in salary, which probably won’t be that hard. Varejao would also be easy to flip to a 3rd team.

Detroit
I am sure that Detroit would love to have the expiring deal of Kaman, but it probably wont happen. The Hornets would have to want a bad contract or Stuckey when he becomes available and be willing to take on Jason Maxiell’s expiring deal.

Indiana
Has the cap room but would probably only do it if Kaman came cheap. Another big is not what they need right now.

NJ
Humpries or Okur and candy. They want a big guy but his name isn’t Kaman.

Orlando
Kaman would be a nice clog in the middle if Howard gets traded. Reddick and Nelson would work but would the Hornets even listen to that? You would have to get creative for anything else.

Toronto
Only works if the Hornets would take Jose Calderon, otherwise a non option unless they will Barbosa and junk.

Miami, Milwaukee, NY, Philadelphia, Washington
Would have to wait for a buyout.

Overall
I like Atlanta’s chances. They are in the market for a big and have some pieces. After Atlanta it is a toss up. I would put Indiana, New Jersey, and Charlotte in the mix. Charlotte is a trade happy franchise and NJ has the contracts and you never know what they might do if they get shut out of the Howard sweepstakes. Toronto and Detroit could be very dark horse options.

Dallas
Have the expiring deals but would have to give up a piece of their core(Kidd, Terry, Dirk, Odom) to make it work so it’s not happenining.

Golden State
Monta Ellis is really the only big reasonable contract. He would be interesting going to the Hornets but would Stern approve it? They also have the big Kwame contract that they could pair with Brandon Rush and candy.

Houston
Think they would ever trade with the Hornets again? Hornets could want Scola and candy but that would require taking on salary that Stern might not approve.

LA Lakers
Odom’s exception and Luke Walton who could retire would work. Of all the deals that make sense and the teams that would want Kaman, the Lakers make the most sense. They need a back up big and a big man rotation of Bynum, Gasol, and Kaman would be huge that no team could compete with.

Memphis
Mayo and junk; I mean candy would work. Memphis probably can offer the most young players and Memphis has the need for a big guy. Another finals worthy big man rotation, just replace Bynum with the rotation of Gasol, Kaman, and Randolph.

Minnesota
Beasley and candy. Would Minnesota even be interested? I doubt it

Phoenix
Nash for Kaman is the only option. Ya right.

Portland
Camby for Kaman, ya right. Too redundant.

Sacromento
Have tons of cap room so they would only need to include a small piece in the deal. Kaman would make a good mentor for Cousins.

Utah
Would the Hornets want Devin Harris? Utah doesn’t really need another big but that doesn’t really matter because the point here would be to acquire an expiring deal for Harris.

Denver, Clippers, Oklahoma City, San Antonio
Not going to happen

Outlook
The Lakers make the most sense here. Every other western team would have to get creative or break from the mold.

Captain Obvious says that Manning needs a new place to play. It would be a shame to see one of the greatest quarterbacks of this generation retire. He is still a player that people can get excited about.

San Francisco
Alex Smith is a free agent, so think about it. The 49ers have no reason to keep Smith with Kapernick in the fold, but they need a solid excuse to move on from him after this season. Manning would be the perfect excuse. He would bridge the gap to Kapernick, and keep the team in playoff contention. If Manning is half of the player that he used to be, that would probably be the equivalent of Smith. Not only that, everyone is in the fold already for a solid repeat of this season.

Why it won’t happen: Someone please give me an excuse because Alex Smith is just not a good enough excuse for me.

Jacksonville

Here is a team with an underrated defense who seems to be in the playoff hunt, every other year. They play in a warm weather environment that Manning would be attracted to.

Why it won’t happen: They are Jacksonville. Blaine Gabbert’s development.

Buffalo

I tried to talk myself out of this but I just couldn’t find a good enough reason besides the weather; and lets face it, weather is not a good enough excuse. Buffalo showed us last season that they are a decent enough team that isn’t that far away. Fitzpatrick is good, but not as good as Manning.

Why it won’t happen: I believe that Fitzpatrick has a huge salary cap number.

Denver

Think about it. Of all the people in the world who can push Tebow to the sidelines, there are only a few names; none of which are available. Brady, Manning, Rogers, Brees, Romo, and all of the other elite quarterbacks. The Broncos are already a playoff team, with Manning they would be assured of being the elite of the league.

Why it won’t happen: Reality, Manning won’t want to play in cold weather.

Washington

If I was to bet that one team would throw money at him, it would be Washington. Sadly, they are Washington.

Why it won’t happen: Does anyone want to play for Dan Snyder? Lack of winning culture.

Miami
They need a quarterback, and live in a warm climate. Pennington thrived there with worse players

Why it won’t happen: perception that they are far away.

Seattle

They need a quarterback, but they really should allot their resources elsewhere.
Why it won’t happen: Need a young quarterback, bad long term prospects for a quarterback who has two years left, cold weather climate for a quarterback with a achy body.

Too many excuses not too:
Minnesota, Arizona, New York Jets, Tennessee, Cleveland

Watching Brodus Clay destroy Heath Slater on Raw tonight, got me thinking: jobbers have got to me the most under-appreciated people in wrestling. Guys like the Brooklyn Brawler, Duane Gill, Funaki, and Barry Harrowitz are among the guys who have had solid careers because they do the job. One of the antonyms for jobbers is ‘enhancement talent.’ I like that phrase better because that is what they are. They are talent who enhance who they are doing the job for.

Many people wonder why their favorite wrestler doesn’t get pushed to the next level. What people fail to realize is that roles on the card are critical in wrestling. Main-eventers, mid-carders, and jobbers; they all have a role. People need to realize that it is not necessarily a bad thing for their favorite wrestler to be a jobber; because, at least he has a ‘job.’ I am sick of hearing the question: ‘why isn’t this guy pushed?’ There is a reason why people like Santino and Tyson Kidd are not pushed higher in the card; they are perfect in the role that they have. Santino is the perfect comedy jobber in my book. The guy has no business being in the main event, but he does all the right things to keep his job until his body gives out. When Santino almost won the Royal Rumble last year, it was great. Here was a jobber who almost had the chance to main event Wrestlemania. Jobbers, in the the world of wrestling they deserve to main event Wrestlemania.

The Best of the Bunch
1. Sean Payton – Saints – Remember when the Suns were winning and everyone wanted Mike D’Antoni to be there coach, that is where Sean Payton is right now, except he has a ring to prove how great he is.
2. Mike McCarthy – Packers
3. Bill Belichick – Patriots
4. Mike Tomlin – Steelers
5. (Leaving this spot open for Coughlin if he wins his second Super Bowl)

Up there
6. Tom Coughlin – Giants – It amazes me that Coughlin doesn’t get that much respect. It seems like he is sitting on the hot seat every year and every year he survives. Do you know why he survives? Because he is a great coach. His teams are well disciplined and great teams year in and year out.
7. Rex Ryan – Jets – I almost put him below the Harbaugh brothers but I like him and his attitude as a coach. I believe in the college philosophy that the coach should be the face of the losses and for the most part, Ryan has accepted the blame.

8 and 9. The Harbaugh Brothers – 49ers and Ravens – You know if you combined them, you would probably have the perfect coach; with John’s specialty in defense, and Jim being the offensive guru.

I would rather have these guys and take a chance at winning then take a risk with a coach who I know will never win a Super Bowl
10 – 14. Ken Whisenhunt – Cardinals, Ron Rivera – Panthers, Pete Carroll – Seahawks, Mike Smith – Falcons, Jim Schwartz – Lions

24. Mike Munchak – Titans – I like what he did in his one year. Here is a guy who could move up real quick.

The (free agent) coaches who deserve another shot because they did not get a fair shake
25. Todd Haley – He did not get a fair shake, and he deserves another one. This year was riddled with injuries, but last year the Chiefs were great.
26. Jack Del Rio – He could never find a decent receiver. Take away his personnel decision making power and he would take a team like the Cowboys or Vikings to the playoffs every year.
27. Every coach the Raiders had in the 00s not named Bill Callahan. They were all there for one or two years and quickly ushered out. Imagine where the Raiders would be with some consistency. They certainly have the talent. Is it time to get a big name who they can’t kick out so quickly?

Dan Snyder damaged my career
31. Mike Shanahan – Redskins – Insert any Redskins coach here that coached under the Snyder regime. Snyder must be the new Al Davis to head coaches.

Coaches that are relatively new to their job but should be given a year or two. On the other hand, you can fire them now and no one will blink.
32. Pat Shurmur – Browns
33. Chan Gailey – Bills – I never liked this hire and I am sucker for a good offensive coach.
34. Leslie Frazier -Vikings

Note- Oakland, Tampa Bay, and Miami need a coach

Would not touch: Mike Sherman – he supposedly had a better roster than McCarthy had and did nothing with it. He couldn’t do anything in college. Wanting Sherman as a coach would be like wanting someone because he walked on Lambeugh Field.